This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, and is not necessarily prior art.
It is becoming increasingly common for vehicle instrument cluster assemblies in a subject vehicle to include a speaker that provides audible alerts and audible feedback to an operator of the subject vehicle. For example, the speaker may output a ticking sound when a turn signal of the vehicle is activated. Additionally, the speaker may output an audible alert, such as a chime or buzzing sound, when another vehicle is located within a blind spot of the subject vehicle. Additionally, the speaker may output an audible alert when the subject vehicle is in reverse and an object is detected by a backup camera system of the subject vehicle.
With reference to FIG. 3, a cross section of a conventional meter or instrument cluster assembly is shown and includes a mask or visor 12, a lens 14 (such as an acrylic lens), an applique or dial sheet 24, and a printed circuit board (PCB) 26. The conventional instrument cluster assembly may also include a speaker 28 and a resonance chamber 30 formed by or with a rear cover and/or a housing or case assembly of the instrument cluster assembly. As shown in FIG. 3, the instrument cluster assembly may be installed within an instrument panel of a vehicle such that a bezel 32 of the instrument panel overlaps the lens 14 of the instrument cluster assembly and the exterior of the visor 12 is hidden from view.
As shown in FIG. 3, the speaker 28 may be located behind the PCB 26 and aligned with an aperture in the PCB 26. In the conventional instrument cluster assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, sound waves from the speaker 28 must travel through multiple layers and structures within the instrument cluster assembly before reaching the operator of the subject vehicle. For example, in the conventional instrument cluster assembly, sound waves from the speaker 28 must travel through any graphics display structures, such as a thin-film-transistor (TFT) liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen, that may be mounted to the PCB 26 or located between the PCB 26 and the dial sheet 24. Further, in the conventional instrument cluster assembly, sound waves from the speaker 28 must also travel through the dial sheet 24 and the lens 14 of the instrument cluster assembly before reaching the operator of the subject vehicle. As such, sound waves outputted by the speaker 28 may be attenuated by dampening, muting, and muffling due to the internal structures of the instrument cluster assembly before reaching the operator of the vehicle. As such, the speaker 28 may be required to operate at an increased volume to offset the attenuation caused by the internal structures of the conventional instrument cluster assembly. The sound waves from the speaker, however, cannot be so loud as to impact the appearance of any indicators or displays of the conventional instrument cluster assembly, including any indicators located on the dial sheet 24.
While such conventional instrument cluster assemblies are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. For example, it would be desirable to have an improved instrument cluster assembly with a hidden speaker that is less susceptible to sound attenuation by dampening, muting, and muffling caused by the internal structures of the instrument cluster assembly.